So I was looking online and came across
this article on yahoo and I began to think of how much things have changed since the 90's. Long story short, the article speaks of the death of the Mini-Mansion aka "McMansion"; the home that's not quite big enough to call a mansion but too big to be a "normal" single family home.
Oddly Built HUGE home... With no land...
For many years we've probably been living in homes that were in excess of what we really need to survive; buying a 6 bedroom home with 3 entertainment rooms, 4 car garage, 5 and 1/2 bathrooms, an Olympic swimming pool in the back... and you're single and live alone. To that behavior I say "Its your money. Do what you like."
But now, in this most recent economic climate, it seems people are killing that thought process; choosing efficiency and utility over the ego stroking "My house is bigger than your house" approach. So instead of asking for 3000 square foot properties, the focus might be more on a 1800 square foot property, laid with every single "green" option possible on the home. While
going "green" does cost a little bit more on the front end, the focus seems to have possibly shifted from extravagant to economically conscious.
A "Green" house
Crazy... It is this mentality shift stemming from our horrible economy, effecting all areas of our life, that upsets me. Why? Because "FUN" is almost impossible. Financial independence feels more like a dream or an ideal situation than a realistic goal. To be honest, "economically conscious" is an understatement. Everything in the entire world has gotten expensive except condoms from Walmart and our household income overall is going down. Its terrible.
Let's rewind to 1992... when gas was 86 cents; $5 was enough gas money; $7 for a movie ticket was EXPENSIVE AS H*LL; paying $8 for a alcoholic beverage mighta meant you were balling; you could go out with $10 in ya pocket and have an absolute BLAST; and taking a girl to Red Lobster or Olive Garden meant she was "the One".
Now?!
From this...
Gas is 3 times that amount. $5 will get your friend put out of the car. You can't even get a senior citizen's movie ticket for under $8 now. $8 for a drink is cheap unless you going to Applebees for $3 margaritas or a "no dress code" club like Central Station where every drink is dirt cheap (and watered down). If you got $10 in ya pocket, the only thing you're getting is a Redbox DVD rental, a $5 pizza from Lil Ceasers, and a two liter Coke from the local QuikTrip gas station; Yeah... its a movie night at the house. Red Lobster has since become the McDonalds of sit down restuarants (Unless you from the south side of town. They still love it for some reason) and dating = chilling at somebody house, using that $10 in your pocket until somebody decide that they're horny.
To this...
If I had to choose, I'd say give me the 90's.
Nevertheless, times have changed. The only way to really get ahead now is to have a job, a side hustle AND a permanent roommate (spouse, best friend, family member, etc) who can help out. And honestly, its a much better idea to have a small place to keep ya utility bills lower, get on a budget plan with those utilities and, if you can, start trying to save $10 a week in an effort to build up a "just in case something stupid happen" fund. Meanwhile, we should all silently pray that we won't have to begin permanently living as extended families.
